K.M. Alexander's Blog, page 72

Upcoming Appearances

Just a quick update to announce that I launched a new section here on the blog. Behold! The new Appearances tab. This year I am really upping my sci-fi/fantasy convention attendance. I had a blast at SpoCon 2014 and I look forward to hanging out with readers at future conventions. I figured it’d be good to create a space where I list out where I am going and when. That way you can see if I’m coming to a con near you. Click here to check it out now or navigate to it from the main menu. I’ll see you at the cons!

Have a local sci-fi/fantasy convention near you that you think I should attend? Shoot me an email and let me know about it. I’d love to see if I can’t make it work.

Filed under: Con Reports, News Tagged: appearances, Conventions, cthulhucon pdx, lilac city comicon, norwescon, oregon, portland, Seattle, SpoCon, Spokane, Washington

Friday Link Pack 02/20/2015

It’s Friday! That means it’s time to share a few links I’ve found over the last few days. Some of these I mention on Twitter, if you’re not already following me there, please do! Have a link I should feature in the upcoming link pack? Click here to email me and let me know! (Include a website so I can link to you as well.) Away we gooooo…

Writing:

Save Little Free Libraries From Uncultured Killjoys

Little Free Libraries are basically the best, they promote community and reading, what could be better!? Yet, some folks (for reasons I can’t comprehend) don’t like them. Sarah Skwire brings the smackdown.

Fault In Our Stars Author: Oops, I Didn’t Write That Quote

Whether you love or loathe his books, I think we can all agree that John Green is a pretty swell guy. Here’s his video on the incorrectly attributed quote.

Navigating NPR’s Top 100 Sci-Fi & Fantasy Books

Here’s a handy flowchart from SF Signal helping you find the next speculative fiction book from NPR’s Top 100 list. For whatever reason The Stars Were Right and Old Broken Road aren’t on that list. What gives, NPR?

I’m On Seattle Geekly

Make sure you check out my appearance on Seattle Geekly‘s latest podcast. I had a blast hanging out with Shannon and Matt and I’m honored to be one of their last guests. They’re also giving away copies of Old Broken Road to their Twitter followers. Just tweet #KMAbook before 3PM PST and you’ll be entered to win a copy.

Art:

Audio Landscape

My internet-friend Dan created this awesome music visualizer. Let your music create a beautiful landscape, a volcanic hellscape, or strange seapunk world.

The Photography of Peter Zeglis

I love these simple photos from greek photographer Peter Zeglis. There’s something open and intimate in the way Zeglis captures his subject, be it a majestic mountain, a city, a street corner, or a lava field. Beautiful.

Random:

New Map Shows America’s Quietest Places

Need to get some work done? Now you know where to go.

A Guy Complained No One Had Wished Him Happy Birthday On Twitter And Things Got Weird

The internet is a wonderful and magical place and I love it a lot. Have a happy birthday Daniel Barker, please. [Thanks to Josh for sending this one in.]

46 Rare Historical Photos

I’m intentionally not attaching the stupid link bait title assigned to this post, but this collections of historical photos is real good and shouldn’t be missed. What’s your favorite?

If all U.S. Presidents, at the age they were elected, were told to fight each other to the death, who would win?

These are the sort of questions that demand well though out answers. I am glad there are people working on figuring this out. (You can probably guess the winner.)

[NEW!] Random Wikipedia Article of the Week:

Wherein I got to Wikipedia and hit Random Article until I find something good/weird/offensive/hilarious/interesting/etc. This weeks entry:

List of number-one singles in 1995 (New Zealand)

It’s good to know that TLC’s Waterfalls, Coolio’s Gangster’s Paradise, and Rednex Cotton Eyed Joe had that global reach in 1995. Man, you know, the 90s were pretty damn great.

Lovecraft Story of the Week:

The Diary of Alonzo Typer

“I am conscious of several presences in this house. One in particular is decidedly hostile toward me—a malevolent will which is seeking to break down my own and overcome me. I must not countenance this for an instant, but must use all my forces to resist it. It is appallingly evil, and definitely non-human.”

Gif of the Week:

Filed under: Link Pack Tagged: fantasy, john green, little free libraries, maps, NPR, peter zeglis, robots, Sci-fi, seattle geekly

I’m On Seattle Geekly

Last week I was invited by Shannon and Matt over to the Geekly Studios to be on my favorite podcast: Seattle Geekly! The day has arrived, the podcast is up, and you can listen now! Download the episode from iTunes, listen to it on Seattle Geekly’s website, listen over on Stitcher, or just hit play below:

https://kmalexander.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/seattle-geekly-for-thursday-february-19-2015.mp3

I’m honored to be one of the final guests for a great podcast. I had a lot of fun and I hope everyone enjoys it. Huge thank you to Shannon and Matt for having me on. It was nice to relax and geek out for a while. (Also, Matt, I’m still very interested in joining you for that session of Call of Cthulhu.)

Seattle Geekly is giving away a few signed copies of Old Broken Road along with the launch of today’s episode. To win all you need to do is tweet with the hashtag #KMAbook before 3PM tomorrow (02/20/15). There’s still plenty of chances to win. Good luck!

Filed under: News Tagged: Giveaway, Interview, lovecraft, Old Broken Road, Podcast, Red Litten World, seattle geekly, the bell forging cycle, The Stars Were Right

The Stars Were Right 99¢ eBook Sale Extended

February has been a great month for me and for The Stars Were Right: hundreds of new readers, really positive press, and some great emails from readers. There’s plenty of reason to celebrate.

Last Sunday, while I was being interviewed for this weeks episode of Seattle Geekly, I mentioned the 99¢ sale and then immediately realized that it would air after the sale ended. Oh no! Thankfully, one of the benefits of being in control of my own marketplace is being able to extend sales at a whim. So, in celebration of the upcoming episode of Seattle Geekly, the month of February, and so many new folks reading The Bell Forging Cycle, I’m extending the 99¢ ebook sale through the end of the month! Tell your friends and nab a copy for yourself from any of these ebook platforms:

Kindle • Kobo • Nook • iBooks • GooglePlay • DRM Free ePub

Sale ends February 28 (for reals this time,) then The Stars Were Right will returns to it’s regular price of $2.99.

Filed under: Shop, The Stars Were Right Tagged: 99¢, eBook, sale, seattle geekly, the bell forging cycle

Friday Link Pack 02/13/15

Dun dun dunnnnn… it’s Friday the 13th. While you’re avoiding mirrors, ladders, and black cats why not spend a few moments and browse a few links I’ve found over the last several days. Some of these I mention on Twitter, if you’re not already following me there, please do! Have a link I should feature in the upcoming link pack? Click here to email me and let me know! All right, let’s get to it…

Writing:

When To Stop Polishing A Manuscript

Hemingway was trolling you.

In Defense Of Editing

Sarah Hoyt discusses the importance of editing. Thinking of going indie? Hire an editor. Think an editor is too expensive? Hire an editor. Your work deserves it.

“Sponsored” By My Husband: Why It’s A Problem That Writers Never Talk About Where Their Money Comes From

It’s a few weeks old now, but I found this article from Ann Bauer poignant. Many creatives often hide the fact they are supported by someone or have been given a leg up. That dishonesty doesn’t help the other artists who might not be so advantaged and struggle to maintain lifestyles that are unreachable.

How Well Should Your Characters Know Themselves?

We don’t always see our own blemishes. Should the characters we create be any different? Some great thoughts from Victoria Grefer.

Art:

Inflorescence

The latest series from my wife, oil painter Kari-Lise Alexander. I highly recommend checking this out and seeing her latest work. It’s quiet, serene, and beautiful. I couldn’t be prouder. Show opens tomorrow at Distinction Gallery in Escondido, California. Stop by if you’re in the San Diego area!

Unsettling Ceramic Sculptures By Ronit Baranga

Life-like lips and fingers emerge from beautiful porcelain. Disturbing? Yes. Yet incredibly engaging. [Thanks to Kirk for sharing this.]

Detailed Close Ups Star Wars Spaceships

I considered throwing this in Random, but the artistry involved in these original models cannot be denied. It’s beautiful and detailed work.

Random:

The 10 Scariest Monsters From Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos

Den of Geek attempts to answer the question: which of the elder gods was the most terrifying? Not sure I agree with the outcome but it’s an interesting list and it features some obscure monsters. (Okay, it’s killing me! You had one job! ONE JOB! YIG!? Come on! The right answer was Nyarlathotep!)

Someone Flew A Drone Through Chernobyl And The Result Is Haunting

This short film from British filmmaker Danny Cooke blew me away. I had seen images of Chernobyl before, but moving through the landscape opens it up even further. There’s something so melancholy about the slow flyovers of Pripyat that I kept thinking about this video for days.

Scientists Plan To Resurrect The Woolly Mammoth, Jurassic Park-Style

Upside: as far as we know mammoths ate plants are are relatives to elephants. Downside: as far as we know… this is Friday the 13th after all.

[NEW!] Random Wikipedia Article of the Week:

Wherein I got to Wikipedia and hit Random Article until I find something good/weird/offensive/hilarious/interesting/etc. This weeks entry:

Fart Proudly, A Letter To A Royal Academy

“A Letter To A Royal Academy” was composed by Benjamin Franklin in response to a call for scientific papers from the Royal Academy of Brussels. Franklin believed that the various academic societies in Europe were increasingly pretentious and concerned with the impractical. Revealing his “bawdy, scurrilous side,” Franklin responded with an essay suggesting that research and practical reasoning be undertaken into methods of improving the odor of human flatulence.

Well… there you go.

Lovecraft Story of the Week:

Discarded Draft Of The Shadow over Innsmouth

I featured The Shadow over Innsmouth in the 10/11/13 Link Pack but since it’s Kari-Lise’s favorite Lovecraft story and her show opens this week I figured I’d feature it again. But! Instead of the original, why not read through the discarded draft. Dun dun dunnnnnn…!

Gif of the Week:

Filed under: Link Pack Tagged: benjamin franklin, ceramic, Characters, chernobyl, editing, inflorescence, kari-lise alexander, lovecraft, mammoth, Nyarlathotep, sculpture, star wars, writing

Inflorescence

I’m so excited to finally share Kari-Lise’s latest series, Inflorescence with all of you. It has been a labor of love. I’ve watched her working in her studio for months, creating what I feel is her best series yet.

If you follow me on Twitter you know she’s been getting a ton of positive press. Her work has been featured on the Beautiful Bizzare blog, Hi-Fructose’s blog, and even on my favorite Tumblr blog: This Isn’t Happiness.

Last week I posted Scott Wilson’s documentary about her, Overlooked Details, An Artist’s Journey. It gives you a small glimpse into how much time and effort she pours into each of these pieces. Her hard work really shows. I’m so proud of what she has accomplished and I’m excited these are finally out in the wild and available for all to see!

Inflorescence officially opens on Feburary 14th at Distinction Gallery in Escondido, California. We’ll both be there so if you’re in the area, stop by and say hello. I’ve posted some of my favorite pieces below, but I highly recommend checking out the full series over at Distinction’s website.

Kari-Lise Alexander — “Inflorescence” 2014, Oil on Panel
Kari-Lise Alexander — “Fauna Flora” 2014, Oil on Panel
Kari-Lise Alexander — “Shallow” 2014, Oil on Panel

See The Rest Of The Show Here →

Filed under: Art, Kari-Lise Alexander Tagged: distinction gallery, inflorescence, oil painting, painting, Pop Surrealism, show

I’m Going To Be On Seattle Geekly

Yesterday I had the honor to be interviewed by Shannon and Matt of Seattle Geekly, our local geek-centric podcast. We talked about my books, mythos fiction, Lovecraft, and a lot more. I had a blast and I’m super grateful for the opportunity, they’re both excellent people.

The episode airs next Thursday, February 19th so mark your calendars. They’re also going to be giving away a couple signed copies of Old Broken Road to their twitter followers, so make sure you’re following them so you can have a chance to win.

You can subscribe to Seattle Geekly via iTunes, RSS, or through Stitcher. You can also listen via their website: seattlegeekly.net. I’ll also be posting the episode here as well so stick around.

Filed under: News Tagged: Interview, lovecraft, Old Broken Road, Podcast, seattle geekly, writing

Friday Link Pack 02-06-2015

Hear ye, hear ye! Today is the day of Frigg, or as we now know it, Friday. That means it’s time to share a few links I’ve found over the last few days. Some of these I mention on Twitter, if you’re not already following me there, please do! Have a link I should feature in the upcoming link pack? Click here to email me and let me know! All right, let’s get to it…

Writing:

Wordslingers: An Interview With K.M. Alexander

I’ve done a few interviews in the past. But I have to say my interview with S. Lee Benedict has to be one of my favorites. He asks me some of the best questions I’ve ever been asked during an interview, ended up being a lot of fun. Also make sure you check out Benedict’s own novel, The Heart Thief.

S. L. Huang On The Subject Of Unlikable Women Protagonists

Why do the unlikeable protagonists always have to be men? In her guest post for Chuck Wendig’s TerribleMinds, author S. L. Huang makes a case appealing for more varied female characters.

To Kill a Mockingbird sequel Go Set a Watchman coming in July

In what has been heralded as the greatest literary news of the year Harper Lee returns to literature after  55 years. And you thought George R. R. Martin was slow. (I can’t take credit for that joke, this fake GRRM twitter account can.)

Oh Noes, The Sky Is Falling

Despite the hand wringing from Publishers Weekly about the decline in science fiction sales, writer Amanda Green explains how science fiction isn’t dead, it’s more alive than ever. (Also, who cares what the Publisher’s Weekly frets about, tell the story you want to tell.)

The Real Science Of Science Fiction

Great piece from the The Guardian on the co-dependency between science and science fiction and how each influences the other.

Art:

Overlooked Details: An Artist’s Journey

A short documentary from filmmaker Scott Wilson about what it takes to be a creative. It’s not just talent. It will never be perfect. And success is not a destination. Starring my wife, Kari-Lise Alexander, our friend Steve Leroux, and even little ol’ me!

Sam Wolfe Connelly: Winter Selections

If you follow me on Pinterest you’ve seen some of Connelly’s incredible and creepy paintings before. Beautiful Bizarre Magazine highlights some of his latest works and some of his classic pieces. I love this stuff. [Thanks to Kari-Lise for sharing this with me.]

Random:

The Creepiest Things You Can Do on Facebook

Yep, this made me laugh. Also, filed under: things I’m going to try out with my sister-in-laws. (They don’t read my blog, so I’m safe.)

The NFL Cleanse

Over the course of a single week, Ruth Baron ate all sixty-two of the fast-food meals advertised during the playoffs. RIP Ruth Baron.

The Psychological Difference Between $12.00 And $11.67

A fascinating look at the effect of pricing on people. Something to consider when you price your own creative work perhaps?

Royalty, Espionage, and Erotica: Secrets of the World’s Tiniest Photographs

Photo Sharing isn’t a new concept apparently, eat your heart out Instagram.

Lovecraft Story of the Week:

The Crawling Chaos

“It is the end. They have come down through the gloaming from the stars. Now all is over, and beyond the Arinurian streams we shall dwell blissfully in Teloe.”

Opium’s a hell of a drug.

Gif of the Week:


Filed under: Link Pack Tagged: art, creepy, Facebook, Interview, kari-lise alexander, lovecraft, nfl, photography, pricing, sam wolfe connelly, Science Fiction, women protagonists, writing

It’s Been A Good Week

I started this blog to document my journey as I began writing. I’ve have always wanted it to be as candid and honest as possible. So I have made sure to share ups and downs, highs and lows. I have talked about my fear. I have talked about rejection. I have shared my successes. I want to let others out there know they’re not alone, we all struggle through this creative process. Through it all I have trudged forward, writing my strange little novels, and working to create the best books I can.

Well, something pretty amazing happened Monday, and to stay on theme I wanted to share it with everyone here. A few weeks ago I was able to secure a 99¢ promotion with Book Bub—a daily deal promotional site for ebooks. That promotion launched on Monday, and well… I sold a lot of books. A lot. I have nearly doubled my readership and as a result The Stars Were Right took off and began flying up the charts.

Then this happened:

Yep, that’s my book sitting next to Hugh Howey’s Wool on Amazon’s Best Sellers in Science Fiction Adventures list. It also ranked pretty high on a few other lists:

By Monday’s end I was feeling pretty overwhelmed, and excited, and flattered, and humbled. It’s incredible that so many folks took a chance on me and my book. I didn’t expect this. Sure, I expected a few sales, but nothing of this magnitude. Since this was a promotion it stuck around for about a day before slowly settling back down, but I had to share even my momentary rise with you.

I really look forward to hearing from all my new readers. I hope you thoroughly enjoy meeting Wal, exploring Lovat, and discovering just a small sliver of The Territories. Feel free to drop me a line at any time and let me know what you thought. There’s a lot more to come in The Bell Forging Cycle and I am glad to have more of you join me on this crazy adventure!

Filed under: News, The Stars Were Right, writing Tagged: amazon, bestseller, book bub, Hugh Howey, Milestones, sale, self-publishing, the bell forging cycle

Overlooked Details, An Artist’s Journey

It is here! It has arrived! I am so excited to share with you Overlooked Details: An Artist’s Journey, a documentary about my wife, Kari-Lise Alexander. I couldn’t be prouder of Kari-Lise and I am glad Scott Wilson gave her the opportunity to share her story. I think any creative will find her an inspiration. Full credits below the video. I recommend watching this full screen. Enjoy!

This is a story about resilience – about what it really takes to be an artist.

This is the story of Kari-Lise Alexander, an acclaimed oil painter whose work has been shown at international galleries. Along with her husband, author K.M. Alexander, and friend, woodworker Steve Leroux, Kari-Lise recounts her past and present struggles and shares what she’s learned along her journey. It’s not just talent. It will never be perfect. And success is not a destination.

Learn more about Kari-Lise’s work at: kari-lise.com

Learn more about the Emergence Series, of which this film is a part, at: emergence-series.com

FEATURING:

Kari-Lise Alexander (kari-lise.com)

K.M. Alexander (kmalexander.com)

Steve Leroux (rubypear.com)

Scott Moore (bellevuefineart.com)

Courtney Sievertson (wallflowercustomframing.com)

DIRECTION & EDITING:

Scott R. Wilson

CINEMATOGRAPHY:

Scott R. Wilson

Mark George

MUSIC:

“Rise (Snowfall Remix)” performed by Tony Anderson, Licensed through The Music Bed

“Aura” performed by Blue-Noise, Licensed through iStock

SPECIAL THANKS:

Bellevue Fine Art (bellevuefineart.com)

Wallflower Custom Framing (wallflowercustomframing.com)

University of Washington Communication Leadership

Allison Fine

Mark George

Alex Stonehill

Sarah Stuteville

Film Copyright © 2015 Seven Griddle Media LLC / Scott R. Wilson.

Art Copyright © 2015 Kari-Lise Alexander.

All Rights Reserved.

Filed under: Inspiration, Videos Tagged: art, creation, creative struggle, kari-lise alexander, overlooked details, Self-Doubt